Pirates Break Houston Curse in Historical Victory Against Rice

Friday, September 25

Houston, TX

7:00 P.M.

East Carolina University

9-5,2-0American

Rice

6-7,0-1American

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
East Carolina	25	18	25	25	3
Rice	15	25	23	22	1

Pirates Break Houston Curse in Historical Victory Against Rice

September 25, 2026 | Volleyball

Box Score

HOUSTON, TEXAS – The East Carolina volleyball team earned one of its biggest wins of the season so far on Friday night, defeating 2025 regular-season champions, Rice, 3-1 (25-15, 18-25, 25-23, 25-22), inside Tudor Fieldhouse.

The victory marked ECU's first win over the Owls since 2007 and snapped the 8-0 overall record Rice had held over the Pirates, with this victory being the first in program history in Tudor Fieldhouse. It also gave the Pirates a 2-0 start in American Conference play for the first time since joining the league in 2014.

SET ONE: RICE 15, EAST CAROLINA 25
The Pirates came out aggressively in the opening frame, quickly establishing momentum after trading the first few points. ECU used two separate 3-0 runs early in the set before building a five-point advantage.

ECU continued to extend its lead with a 5-0 run that featured kills from Angeles Alderete and strong net work from Aulie Huff and Ekwe Anwah. From there, the Pirates pushed their advantage to 10 points, their largest lead in conference play at the time, before closing out the set, 25-15.

Huff led ECU with six kills in the opening frame, while Alderete recorded eight digs. Kai Bailey added two solo blocks as the Pirates hit .310 and held Rice to a .045 hitting percentage. The set also marked ECU's first set victory over the Owls since 2023.

SET TWO: RICE 25, EAST CAROLINA 18
Rice answered in the second set, opening with a 3-0 run and maintaining its advantage throughout the early portion of the frame.

The Pirates battled back late, using a 3-0 run to cut the deficit from three points to one. Rice then responded with a 4-0 run to regain control and take the set, 25-18.

Huff added four more kills in the frame, but ECU struggled to find the same offensive rhythm it had in the opening set, hitting .108 with eight attack errors. The Pirates also recorded just one team block in the set.

SET THREE: RICE 23, EAST CAROLINA 25
ECU quickly bounced back in the third set. After Rice opened with a service error, the Pirates used a 3-0 run to establish early momentum.

Bailey and Taryn Gilreath provided a strong presence at the net, each recording two block assists during the first 18 points as ECU built a seven-point lead.

Rice refused to go quietly, battling back to cut the deficit to one late in the frame. Still, with the Pirates holding a 24-23 advantage, Rice committed a service error to give ECU the set, 25-23, and a 2-1 match lead.

SET FOUR: RICE 22, EAST CAROLINA 25
The fourth set proved to be the most tightly contested of the night. ECU opened with a kill from Alderete and a service ace from Brooklyn Allison, but Rice quickly answered.

The teams battled through seven ties over the first 22 points, with neither side able to establish a significant advantage. ECU eventually took control late, turning a 19-16 deficit into a 20-19 lead, before Rice tied it again.

With the match tied at 20-20, the Pirates finished strong. They scored five of the final seven points to secure the 25-22 set victory and the 3-1 match win.

Huff set a season high with 11 kills, while Alderete finished with 14 kills and 20 digs for her 41st career double-double. Ellie Pate added 15 kills and 11 digs for her ninth career double-double, while Gilreath recorded season high of 44 assists and 16 digs for her ninth career double-double.

The three double-doubles marked the first time ECU has had three players accomplish the feat in the same match since 2013 against FIU.

Emma Ortiz also delivered a career defensive performance, recording a career-high 25 digs. Bailey finished with a season-high nine kills and three blocks, while ECU totaled nine team blocks and held Rice to a .157 hitting percentage.

The Pirates lead the conference as the only team with two conference wins so far, and head back to North Carolina to bring Texas to Minges Coliseum. The Pirates set to host North Texas and UTSA on October 2 and October 4.